Omicron variant detected in US

Julius Lasin, USA TODAY
·5 min read

The first known U.S. case of the omicron variant has been confirmed. The Supreme Court appears open to upholding Mississippi's abortion ban. And it's time to look back at all the music we've listened to this year.

👋 Hi! It's Julius here with Wednesday's news.

But first, a new heart and $1 million: A Massachusetts man underwent double-bypass heart surgery and received a "get well soon" card that included a winning lottery ticket.

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First known US case of omicron variant detected

The first known case of the omicron coronavirus variant has been detected in the U.S. days after its rapid spread in South Africa and numerous mutations prompted worldwide concern. The California and San Francisco public health departments confirmed a case of COVID-19 among an individual in the state was caused by the omicron variant. The person was a traveler who returned from South Africa on Nov. 22 and was fully vaccinated. The person had mild symptoms that are improving. Much is unknown about the variant, and it is unclear whether it is more contagious than other variants, if it makes people more seriously ill, or if it can thwart the vaccine.

Supreme Court signals support for Mississippi's abortion ban

A majority of the Supreme Court signaled Wednesday it is open to upholding Mississippi’s ban on most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy but left open the question of just how far it may go to undermine its landmark Roe v. Wade decision. The justices wrestled with the potential impact of overturning the landmark ruling — both on people who are seeking an abortion as well as the how the nation might perceive the Supreme Court if it abandons the 1973 ruling that established a constitutional right to the procedure. The six conservative justices asked questions that suggested some skepticism with the position taken by abortion-rights groups that allowing Mississippi's ban would not only violate the Constitution but also raise questions about the court's neutral interpretation of the law.

Stephen Parlato of Boulder, Colo., holds a sign that reads "Hands Off Roe!!!" as abortion rights advocates and anti-abortion protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, in Washington, as the court hears arguments in a case from Mississippi, where a 2018 law would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, well before viability.
Stephen Parlato of Boulder, Colo., holds a sign that reads "Hands Off Roe!!!" as abortion rights advocates and anti-abortion protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, in Washington, as the court hears arguments in a case from Mississippi, where a 2018 law would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, well before viability.

What everyone's talking about

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Teenager faces terrorism, murder charges in Michigan school shooting

The 15-year-old student accused of opening fire on his classmates at a Michigan high school, killing four and injuring seven others, will face a slew of criminal counts including charges of first-degree murder and terrorism, Oakland County's top prosecutor announced Wednesday. Prosecutor Karen McDonald identified the teen as Oxford High School sophomore Ethan Crumbley and said he will face one count of terrorism causing death, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder and 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Crumbley will be charged as an adult. He will be arraigned Wednesday afternoon and could face life in prison.

Students, parents, teachers, and community members gather for a vigil at the Lake Point Community Church following the shooting at Oxford High School on Tuesday in Oxford, Mich.
Students, parents, teachers, and community members gather for a vigil at the Lake Point Community Church following the shooting at Oxford High School on Tuesday in Oxford, Mich.

Extreme weather reveals US was built for the climate of the past

Rising temperatures and oceans have for years been framed as the impending disasters on the crest of climate change. But this year, like few before it, changing rainfall patterns bullied their way into the collective consciousness. Heat has changed how moisture moves across the country. Scientists say it alters the flow of the jet stream, extends droughts and increases evaporation from land and from bodies of water. Readings from hundreds of rain gauges across the continental U.S. tracked for more than 100 years reveal a noticeable inflection point before the turn of the 21st century. It marks the beginning of a roughly 30-year increase in the number of extreme downpours and snowfalls across the eastern half of the nation.

Real quick

It's time to share what you listened to this year 🎁

It's December, so it's time to look back on what you've listened to this year with Spotify Wrapped — and share it with your friends. On Wednesday, Spotify released the popular feature, a collection of the top artists, songs and podcasts listeners enjoyed in 2021. This year's Wrapped also added new ways to show how its users embraced music in 2021. For example, there's a 2021 The Movie feature that shows what songs would play in the soundtrack of a movie starring yourself. There's also an "audio aura," which gives users a colorful visual of their aura based on their most popular music moods.

A break from the news

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spotify Wrapped, omicron variant and Michigan school shooting. It's Wednesday's news.